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23  WEST  MAIN  ^W.Ul 

WIBSTIR.N.Y.  14SS0 

(716)  S73-4S03 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  b^low. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilieur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  una 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


r~L/6oloured  covers/ 
1^^  Couverture  de  couleur 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


D 
D 


Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pelliculde 


D 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 


□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculdes 


D 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


0 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachet^es  ou  piqu6es 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


D 

D 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


rjl    Showthrough/ 


□    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualitd  in6gale  de  I'lmpression 


D 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 


nlrcS 
Con 


udes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


D 


D 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
11  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  Ml  fi!m6es. 


D 
D 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film^es  d  nouveau  de  fa9on  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires; 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  riauction  indiqu4  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

aox 

y 

12X 


16X 


aox 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  film«d  h«r«  has  hmmn  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


L'axamplaira  film*  f ut  raproduit  grica  A  la 
gAnAroaltA  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


Tha  InQagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  consldaring  tha  condition  and  laglblllty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  ^^-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Las  images  suivantas  ont  At*  raproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattet*  da  raxamplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformit*  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplairas  originaux  dont  ia  couvertura  en 
papier  est  imprimia  sont  filmis  9n  commen^ant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  ia  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmis  9n  commengant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  ie  symbols  — »-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartas,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmis  A  des  taux  da  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6.  il  est  film*  A  partir 
da  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imagas  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

m4nYn 


SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION. 


UNITED    STATES    NATIONAL    MUSEUM. 


THE  MAN'S  KNIFE  AMONG  THE  NORTH 
AMERICAN  INDIANS. 

A  STUDY  IN  THE  COLLECTIONS  OF  THE 
U.  S.  NATIONAL  MUSEUM. 


BY 


OTIS  TUPTON  MASON, 

Curator,  Divirion  of  Ethnoloay. 


From  the  Report  of  the  U.  B.  National  Museum  for  1887,  pages  786-746. 


WASHINGTON: 

OOVKRMIENT    PBINTINO   OFFICE. 
1899. 


SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION. 

UNITED     STATES     NATIONAL    MUSEUM. 


THE  MAN'S  KNIFE  AMONG  THE  NORTH 
AMERICAN   INDIANS. 

A  STUDY  IN   THE  COLLECTIONS  OF  THE 
U.  S.  NATIONAL  MUSEUM. 


BV 


OTIS  TrFTON  MASON, 

Ciintti)i\  Dii-ision  of  Eihuitlotjij. 


Prom  tho  R<»iM)rt  of  the  U.  S.  National  Muwniin  for  IHIW,  iia(?«>H  735-745. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE. 
1899. 


A  ^ 


THK  MAN'S  KXIKK  AMOM;  THK  NOllTII 
AMKKICAN  INDIANS. 


A  S'lTDV  IN  TIIK  niLLKlTIONS  (IF  TIIK  V.  S.  NATIONAL  Ml'SKlM. 

II Y 

OTIS    Tl'FTOX    MASOX, 

C II  r  a  t  II  r ,    l>  i  r  i  n  i  n  u    of    E I  h  ti  o  I  it  ij  ij  . 


Pacific  N.  W.  H!>^'>^''  '^-nt, 

VICTORIA,  B.  G, 


32066 


THH  MAN'S  KNiri<:  AMONV.  Tllli  NORTH  AMl-RICAN  IN- 
1)I\NS-A  STUDY  IN  THH  COUTXTIONS  01'  THli  U.  S. 
NATIONAL  MllSUUM. 


Ity  Otis  Ti'kton  Mason, 
Curator,  DinxioH  of  i:ilinuloii!f. 


I 


INTRODUCTION. 

Ainoii},'  implements  used  by  iiiiin,  the  same  forms  may  sometimes  be 
employed  for  destruction  and  at  other  times  for  industrial  purposes. 
When  used  for  destruction  they  are  weapons,  but  when  their  function 
is  industrial  they  are  tools.  The  same  object,  when  used  as  a  weapon, 
becomes  a  dagger,  but  if  it  be  employed  as  an  edged  to(d  it  is  a  knife. 
As  in  the  case  of  all  other  weapons  or  tools,  the  edged  tool  works  by 
pressure,  by  friction,  ov  by  a  blow.  One  used  by  means  of  a  blow  is  an 
ax  if  the  edge  is  in  a  line  with  the  handle,  and  an  ad/  if  it  lies  across 
the  handle;  an  edged  tool  working  by  friction  is  a  scraper,  but  one 
working  by  pressure  is  a  knife. 

It  will  be  found  in  the  study  of  industrial  knives  tliat  in  the  long  run 
they  become  the  carver's  and  engraver's  tools,  the  drawing  knife,  the 
spokeshave,  the  plane,  and  the  planing  mill.  In  some  styles  of  the  last 
named,  however,  the  operative  part  of  the  macliine  is,  more  properly 
speaking,  a  nuichine  adz  than  a  knife.  Carving  in  wood  and  other  sub- 
stances by  the  American  aborigines  differentiated  the  ad/  f  au  the 
knife.  It  is  i)robal)le  that  before  the  introduction  of  iron  into  America 
the  adz  was  used  more  than  the  knife  in  dressing  down  woo.';  but 
when  the  iron  blade  came  into  vogue  it  was  possible  for  the  savage 
workman  to  carve  out  hollow  dishes  and  boxes,  aud  other  objects  with 
his  knife  by  simple  pressure.  Notable  exceptions  to  this  are  those 
regions  where  soft  wood  came  into  alliance  with  sharks'  teeth  and  the 
incisors  of  rodents.  This  is  shown  in  all  the  curved  knives  of  the 
collections  in  the  U.  S.  National  Museum  from  the  two  hemispheres, 
especially  those  from  wooded  aieas. 


728 


UEPOHT    OF    NATIONAL    MIJSEIM,   1897. 


IMPROVEMENT  THROUGH  THE  CURVED  KNIFE. 

Tlioni  oii^lit  to  Ih-  no  doubt  tliiit  in  every  ea-se  where  tlie  savaj^e  was 
t'oi'tunate  t'nougli  t(»  obtain  th«>  knife  his  carving  and  \vhittiin;>  were 
better  done.  Tl  «'ro  i.s  a  niarvelcms  dillerence  l)et\veen  carvinjf  on  tlie 
one  hand,  man's  work  »  hiell.v,  and  ba.skctry  (tr  potti-ry  on  theotlier,  eon- 
.servative  woinan'.s  work.  In  no  tribes  were  tlie  two  last-named  aits 
bettered  by  eoiita«'t  with  tin'  higher  race.  The  work  was  done  with  the 
hands  almost  wholly.  The  tools  were  of  the  simplest  character.  The 
harsh  iron  awl  was  not  .so  good  as  the  smooth  pointed  bone  awl,  of 
which  hiindreils  have  been  found,  and  the  pii«le  in  personal  endeavor 
departed  with  the  (pienching  of  the  tribal  spirit.  The  jiolter's  wheel, 
such  as  it  was  three  centuries  ago,  was  only  a  barrier  to  the  unmechan- 
ieal  .sex.  Therefore  those  who  constantly  as.scrt  that  prcjinlicc  made  it 
impossible  for  the  savage  to  better  liimself  in  theadoiitioii  of  the  white 
man's  deviees  catch  only  half  a  truth. 

CLASSIFICATION. 

In  the  class  of  cutting  tools  called  knives,  there  are  in  the  I'.  S. 
National  IMuseum,  collected  among  the  N(»rth  American  Indians,  two 
series.  One  has  l)een  called  the  "womairs  knife;'"  theotlier, then'fore, 
may  now  be  demmiinated  the  "man's  knife."" 

Both  of  these  series  exist  aboriginally  in  two  st'.bdivisions,  the  one 
eontaining  nt)  iron  or  evidences  of  tiie  use  of  that  iiieial,  the  other  ma«le 
partly  of  iron  or  with  iron.  In  fact,  there  are  four  ,>'ubdivisions  (;f  the 
term  "industrial  knife,"'  namely,  woman's  knife,  ancit'iit;  woman's  knife, 
modern;  man's  knife,  aneieiit;  man's  knife,  modern. 

The  man's  knife  of  the  modern  typt^  exists  in  three  varietie.s,  to  wit, 
the  "curved  knife,'"  with  bent  blade,  employed  usually  in  whittling;  a 
second  variety,  named  •'  straight  blade,"'  with  a.  short  straight  cutting 
part  used  in  carving  stone,  antler,  ivory,  and  other  hard  substances; 
and  a  third  variety,  usually  with  an  old  knife  blade  or  iiiece  of  tile  well 
worn  down  for  its  working  part,  employed  in  the  function  of  a  burin  for 
scratching  or  etching  on  hard  surfaces.  The  three  varieties  necessarily 
merge  into  one  another,  so  that  there  are  no  broad  dividing  line.s. 
The  curved  knife  may  now  be  carefully  examined  as  a  eontribution  to 
studying  the  man's  knife  of  ancient  type. 

PARTS    OF    THE    CURVED    KNIFE. 

Each  variety  of  man's  curved  kinfe,  as  of  other  primitive  and  mod- 
ern mechanics'  tools,  consists  of  three  elements  or  parts,  dilfering 
anmug  the  several  tribes  and  from  place  to  place  in  materials  an<l 
forms,  though  the  blades  furnished  by  lOuropeans  are  of  the  same  gen- 
eral motive. 

First,  the  whittling  blade  is  usually  of  iron  or  steel,  beveled  on  the 

'The  Ulu,  or  VVoiUiiirrt  Knife,  Kept.  U.  .s.  Nat.  .Mtis.,  IS!M),  pp.  411-4  Hi,  pl.atrs  52-72. 


T?iE  man's  knifk.  7i!i 

upper  side  and  plain  on  tlKMindcr  .siilo,  and  nioii'or  l(>ss  (Mirvi><l  npv.ard 
at  the  outtT  end.    The  Idach-s  oJ"  coinincnie  are  not  jjiciitly  dilVerent 
in  .shape,  but  it  will  !«■  seen  that  iiativi^  iuyenuity  lias  been  able  to 
fashion  blades  from  any  i)iece  of  iron.     Murdoch,  speakin^i  of  Point  Fiar 
row,  says  that  "the  <'arver's  knife  is  not  always  «Mirve«l  in  the  blade."" 

Those  that  are  hoIiI  to  the  natives  are  mostly  curved,  and  tin;  han- 
dles are  acMed  alterwards.  JCxaujple  C'at.  No.  SJL'itt  in  th«'  I'.  H. 
Natioiuil  Museum  from  I'oint  Mariow  has  a  short,  thieU  ^■Ja(;kknif(^'' 
blade  much  worn  down.  It  is  halted  lietween  two  lonf^itudinal  see- 
tioiis  <)f  reindeer  antler  held  to^ietlier  by  rivets,  one  section  beinjj  cut 
mit  to  receive  the  tuna.    Two  rivets  are  of  iron  and  three  of  l»rass. 

The  tanj;  of  the  blade,  wlii(!h  exists  as  an  «'Ienu'iit  in  the  haftinj,', 
is  usually  a  continuation  thereot'.  without  much  tinish,  i)ein^  a  llat 
rectangle  in  outIiiu>.  The  foini  of  the  tanj^,  however,  will  be  <;overnetl 
by  the  method  of  its  application  to  tiie  handle,  as  will  appear.  It 
maybe,  lirst,  jtointed  an«l  driven  into  the  eml  of  the  handle;  i^ut^nd, 
rectanj^ular  and  laid  between  tiie  halves  of  the  handle;  third,  set  into  a 
narrow  {groove  on  toj)  of  the  hamlle;  fourth,  laid  in  a  sliallow  jjroeve  on 
the  side  of  the  handle:  lifth,  set  in  a  saw  cut  in  the  end  of  tl  (   liainli". 

Second,  tlie  handle  or  ^'vip.  This  may  be  either  <»!'  wood  taken  from 
the  forest  oi  from  wreck<iye,  or  of  bone  or  antlei-.  The  i.onum's  knife, 
usually,  has  th.  -rip  attaclu'd  to  the  back  of  the  blade  alon;;-  its  extent 
and  the  blade  in  ])osition  is  untler  the  ;:rip.  Ibit  in  the  manVs  knile  the 
end  of  the  blade  forms  the  tanj;-  an<l  the  jdace  of  attachment  for  tlus 
handle,  and  therefore  the  {jrip  is  cylindrical  or  i)artly  so.  In  point  of 
fact  the  handle  may  be  sai<l  to  have  thn'e  parts — the  pommel  or  butt, 
quite  frequently  oiiianu'uted,'  even  in  t(»ols  of  savajjes;  the  j^rip  oi- 
portion  actually  in  the  hand,  aiul  the  Joint  oi-  iiiny;e.  The  form  of  the 
grip  nmy  be  that  of  the  natural  piece  of  mateiial.  VVoman's  knife 
handles  are  much  more  delicately  fashioned  to  tit  the  lingers  than  are 
those  of  the  man's  knife,  lint  in  the  «!Uive«l  type  the  thumb  is  espe- 
cially cared  for.  as  giving  leverage  and  guidance  in  whittling,  and 
in  8(mie  examjdes  a  long  extension  ol'  the  handle  enables  the  Avhittler 
to  call  into  activity  every  muscle  of  his  forearm.  The  portion  of  the 
handle  and  the  treatment  of  it  with  reference  to  the  bond  or  connection 
with  the  blade  will  be  spoken  of  in  the  next  i>aragrai)h.  The  nuxlitica- 
tions  of  the  handle  lor  the  inserti(Mi  of  the  \vorking  part  involve  the 
selection  of  the  grain,  splitting  <uie  end,  splitting  the  handle,  drilling, 
grooving,  sawing,  socketing,  etc. 

Third,  the  bond  or  "connective"  between  the  blade  and  the  grip — that 
is,  between  the  working  part  and  the  manual  part.  In  the  history  of 
tools  these  connective  devices  have  had  an  inte  '?sting  elaboratioii. 
Practically,  the  bond  between  working  part  and  manual  part  consists 
of  three  elements :  First,  a  modilication  in  the  blade  correspi  :iding  to 
the  tang;  second,  a  modilication  of  the  handle  for  the  insertion  of  the 

'  .John  Murdoch,  Ninth  Animal  KN'poit  <>f  the  lUinaii  nf  l-Lthnology,  p.  li}'>,ii}^.  110. 


730 


REPORT  OP  NATIONAL  MUSEUM,  1897. 


tang;  and  thin',  the  true  connective  of  packing,  cement,  lashing,  rivets, 
wedges  or  screws,  some  of  which  appear  in  the  illustrations  of  this 
paper.  Where  the  tang  is  drive;  into  the  end  of  the  grip  the  elasticity 
or  cohesion  of  the  material  forms  the  bond.  In  many  examples  the 
principle  of  the  ratchet  and  of  the  dovetail  exist  in  the  shaping  of  the 
tang  and  its  socket  or  in  cutting  notches  on  the  tang. 

Before  the  introduction  of  the  Iron  Age  into  North  America  there 
existed  the  same  elements  in  tlie  composition  of  a  knife,  to  wit,  a  blade 
of  tooth,  or  shell,  or  stone;  a  handle  of  antler,  bone,  or  wood;  and  a 
connective  of  rawhide,  sinew,  yarn,  or  twine,  of  packing,  of  cement,  and 
possibly  of  rivets  made  of  wood,  bone,  ivory,  or  antler. 

MODE   OF   CUTTING. 

All  j)rimitive  men's  knives  with  single  edge,  so  far  as  the  national 
collections  indicate,  are  made  to  (;ut  toward  the  operator.  Double- 
edged  knives,  however,  cut  both  ways.  Among  the  American  examples 
all  are  for  the  right  hand  or  for  both  hands.  Lawson  distinctly  says 
that  "when  the  ('aroliiia  Indians  cut  with  a  knife,  the  edge  is  toward 
them,  when. is  we  always  «!ut  and  whittle  from  us;  nor  did  I  ever  see 
one  of  them  left-handed." '  The  farrier,  as  will  be  seen,  also  cuts  toward 
hi.'Ti,  but  l)y  turning  his  hand  under,  in  an  awkward  sort  of  way, 
oci'ijsionally  cuts  iVoin  him.  Two  curved  knives  in  the  U.  8.  NatioUtal 
Museum  from  the  xiinosof  nortiiern  Japan,  constructed  exactly  after 
the  manner  of  t\m  American  curved  knives,  are  made  to  lit  the  left 
hand,  but  they  were  received  from  the  same  person.  It  will  be  per- 
fectly plain  to  one  who  has  sharpened  a  quill  pen  or  lead  pencil  that, 
in  the  absence  of  spoke  shaves  and  fine  carver's  to«ds,  the  Indian  was 
compelled  to  cut  toward  his  body. 

SOURCE  OF  CURVED  KNIFE. 

This  nuinner  of  working  is,  doubtless,  a  survival  of  old  processes  of 
hand  work  before  the  introduction  of  more  modern  tools.  It  may  have 
been  overlooked  by  the  student  of  technology  that  it  was  not  until 
recently  that  any  care  was  bestowed  upon  fitting  the  haiulles  of  me- 
chanics' tools  to  the  hand  itself.  In  the  case  of  the  wonum'a  knife  it 
will  be  found  that  the  farther  away  the  Eskimo  live  from  the  white  race 
the  more  simple  the  handle  of  the  scrapc^r,  while  in  those  areas  where 
the  contact  has  been  most  intimate  the  haiulle  is  more  completely  and 
perfe(!tly  nuide  to  conform  to  the  right  hand. 

It  is  astonishing  tlmt  until  Perry's  visit  to  .lapan  the  handles  of  all 
Japanese  tools  were  extremely  simple.  There  are  some  specimens  of 
bronze  implements  found  in  Europe  in  which  the  han<lle  conforms  to  the 
right  hand  of  the  worker.  It  is  reasonably  certain,  therefore,  that  the 
man's  knife  and  the  farrier's  knife  have  come  <lowii  from  a  remote  past 
in  their  present  simple  form. 


i 


'Tho  History  oi'  Carolina,  Piolacc,  p.  \-,  Hali'i«fj,  N.  ('.,  18»)()  [n^priut],  p.  330. 


THE   man's   knife. 


731 


I 


It  is  not  disputed  that  among  American  Indians  all  of  the  iron-bladed 
knives  for  men  are  exotics,  at  least  in  the  working  part  or  blade.  Eth- 
nograpiiers  will  notice  .also  that  in  the  acculturation  of  savages  it  is 
always  the  working  i)art  that  they  are  willing  to  improve  without 
prejudice.  The  manual  part  holds  its  own  longer,  and  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  grip  and  connective  of  men's  knives  are  often  "old  school" 
while  the  blade  is  "new  school." 

An  important  (piestion  arises  as  to  the  date  of  introduction  and  the 
exact  European  source  of  some  of  the  forms  of  blades.  The  only  sur- 
vival in  the  United  States  of  the  curved  blade  is  in  tlie  farrier's  knife, 
with  which  he  pares  the  hoof  of  the  horse  prior  to  laying  on  the  slme. 

After  a  diligent  search  among  cutlers  it  is  difllcult  to  ascertain  how 
long  this  form  of  knife  has  been  in  use  among  farriers,  and  what  its 
precise  relation  is  to  tlie  North  American  curved  knife. 

Murdoch  draws  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Eskimo  of  Point  Barrow 
call  all  knives  savik,  meaning  also  iron,  the  identical  word  used  in 
Greenland  for  the  same  objects.'  From  this  he  argues  that  the  first  iron 
was  obtained  from  the  East,  nlong  with  the  soapstone  lamps  instciid 
of  from  Siberia,  as  was  tobacco.  It  is  true,  however,  that  whittling 
with  a  curved  knife  having  a  thumb  cavity  prevails  all  over  eastern 
Asia.  The  white  migrants  to  (Ireenland  antedated  those  to  Alaska, 
nevertheless,  by  several  centuries.  It  will  be  found,  also,  by  examin- 
ing the  Eskimo  knives  of  Murdoch  and  Nelson,  that  they  often  ditter 
radically  from  the  Imlian  types  here  especially  noted.  Seldom  does  an 
Indian  knife  show  the  presence  of  the  hlai-ksmith.  wiiile  the  whale- 
ship's  blacksmith  seems  to  have  been  a  successful  schoolmaster  to  the 
Eskimo.  Moreover,  ivory,  antler,  and  bone  are  far  less  tractable  than 
birch  saplings  for  whittling,  or  cedar  for  sha])ing,  excavating,  or 
carving.  The  Eskimo  blade  is  shorter,  straighter  ami  never  used  with 
two  liamls,  while  the  Indian  knil'e  is  used  for  grooving  and  reducing 
large  surfaces  in  the  absence  of  the  plane. 

Among  North  American  aborigines  the  iron  bladed  knife  is  restricted 
in  its  area  to  the  ICskimo  and  the  Indian  tribes  southward  in  Alaska, 
the  Dominion  of  Canada,  aiul  the  splint  basket,  snowshoe,  tlie  self-bow, 
and  the  birch-bark  canoe  area  of  the  United  States.  Tlie  last  named 
implements  are  jackknives  jiar  iixcellence.  They  are  designed  for  whit 
tlingaud  producing  shav  ings,  and  not  for  chopping  or  scra])ing — that  is, 
the  formation  of  chips  across  the  grain  or  of  sawdust  and  scrajis.  Tiiese 
lines  must  not  be  too  sharply  drawn,  however,  inasmuch  as  this  paper 
is  restricted  to  materials  furnished  by  the  collections  in  Washington. 
It  is  wonderful  how  adept  primitive  artisans  are  in  getting  a  variety  ol' 
work  out  of  one  imjdemeut.  In  the  absence  of  spokeshaves,  planes, 
chisels,  gouges,  groove  planes,  snndl  adzes,  and  a  host  of  others,  the 
Pacific  coast  Indians  do  the  work  of  all  with  a  double  edged  curved 
blade  sV  inch  wide  and  3  inches  long. 


'John  Murdoch,  Nintli  Annual  Report  of  tlio  liiireuu  of  ICIIiuology,  p.  157. 


732 


REPORT  OF   NATIONAL   MUSEUM,  1897. 


Within  the  regions  mentioned  there  is  for  the  student  an  excellent 
opportunity  to  study  the  efle<!t,  materials,  and  their  environmental 
forces  upon  the  construction  of  the  knife.  Two  varieties  of  the  man's 
kni*'9  are  steadily  used  by  the  Eskimo — the  carver's  knife  and  the  etching 
knife  or  burin;  but,  all  other  shapes  are  employed  by  them,  so  that  one 
linds  the  curved  knife  for  whittling,  the  straight  blade  for  carving,  and 
the  pointed  blade  for  etching.  The  blades  are  short  and  firndy  attached 
to  the  handles  by  rivets  or  by  lashing.  The  handles  are  usually  of 
bone,  antler,  or  ivory,  some  of  tliem  being  curved  to  fit  the  forearm 
and  give  great  purchase  in  cutting  hard  material;  others  are  short  and 
adai>ted  to  be  grasped  in  the  hand  for  the  purpose  of  making  small 
chips  and  even  for  scraping. 

The  Canadian  Indians  and  thoseof  the  northern  United  States,  having 
only  soft  material  and  bark  co  work  upon,  restrict  themselves  mostly 
to  the  long-bladed  curved  knife.  On  the  Pacific  coast,  among  Indian 
tribes  from  Mount  St.  Elias  and  southward,  there  is  a  mixture  of  hard 
material  and  soft  wood,  so  that  there  is  a  great  variety  in  the  form  of  the 
whittler's  knife.  Furthermore,  these  tribes  have  been  in  contact  with 
sailors  for  more  than  a  century  and  use  any  piece  of  steel  or  iron  they 
can  secure  in  trade.  The  Canadian  Indians  were  stimulated  by  the 
fur-trading  companies  to  travel  more  ra])idly  and  to  make  longer  jour- 
neys; hence,  in  furnishing  them  with  tlie  curved  knife,  they  made  it 
l)ossible  for  these  Indians  to  work  out  the  frame  of  the  birch-bark  canoe, 
the  bows  of  the  snowshoes,  splints  for  basketry,  and  a  thousand  and 
one  objects  made  of  birch  bark,  with  this  simple  but  most  efficient 
device.  It  has  become  the  traveling  tool  of  the  Canadian  Indians  and 
has  done  more  than  aught  else  to  improve  their  mechanical  skill.  An 
examination  of  old  patterns  of  snowshoes,  in  comparison  with  the  latest 
patterns,  reveals  an  astonishing  improvement.  The  versatile  curved 
knife  is  just  as  useful  in  the  making  of  fine  babiche  or  rawhide  string 
for' the  webbing  of  the  snowshoe  as  in  whittling  down  the  frame.  In 
the  old-fashioned  snowshoes  the  rawhide  footing  is  nearly  one-fourth 
inch  wide,  while  in  the  best  and  latest  the  strands  areas  tine  as  thread. 


tW( 

of  I 
ove 

1 
IJ. 
kni 
Sec 
Wc 
let 
on 
a  si 
wo< 
vei 

I 
sei 


EXAMPLES. 

Example  Cat.  ^o.  176431,  in  the  U.  S.  National  Museum,  is  a  far- 
rier's knife  (lig.  1),  made  and  used  by  M.  E.  Horigan,  horseshoer  in 
Washington,  D.  C.  The  blade  is  a  <vedge-shape  piece  of  steel,  Hat  on 
the  lower  side  and  beveled  on  the  upper  side,  and  bent  to  a  hook 
at  the  other  end.  The  tang  is  in  form  of  a  rectangle  2  inches  long. 
The  handle  is  a  piece  of  a  rib  from  an  ox ;  the  natural  curve  is  taken 
advantage  of  in  the  manufacture;  a  slight  notch  is  cut  on  the  upper 
end  for  the  thumb,  and  depressions  have  been  worn  on  the  upper  face 
by  the  tingers  of  the  operator.  In  order  to  combine  the  blade  with  the 
handle,  a  saw  cut  is  made  on  the  inner  end  of  the  latter  for  2  inches. 
The  tang  is  slipped  into  the  saw  cut  and  is  held  firmly  in  place  by 


MIf 

cm 

CU 

ar 


.-.._  / 


THE    MAN'8    KNIFE. 


V33 


two  rivets  passiug  through  both  it  and  the  hiindle.    Many  thousands 

of  specimens  as  rude  as  this  are  in  use  among  the  horseshoers  all 

over  the  United  States  and  Canada. 
Example    Oat.   No.   153003,  in  the 

U.  S.  National  Museum,  is  a  curved 

knife  from  the  Micmac  Indians  of  Nova 

Scotia  (fig.  2),  collected  by  Dr.  G.  M- 

West.    It  has  the  usual  farrier's  blade 

let  into  a  narrow  notch  or  stub  groove 

on  the  back  of  the  handle  and  held  by 

a  seizing  of  cord.    The  handle  of  hard 

wood   tits  the  hand   of  the  workman 

very  neatly. 

In  this   example,  as  in  others,  the 

seizing  or  connective,  holding  the 
blade  and  the  handle 
together,  is  easily  re- 
moved so  as  to  allow 
the  former  to  be  taken 
out  and  sharpened. 
Especial  attention  is 
called  t(»  the  faet  that, 
iu  accordance  with 
northern  usage,  the 
end  of  this  cord  is 
driven  into  the  han- 
dle and  held  fast  by 
means  of  a  wooden 
licg  instead  of  being 
fastened  off  by  being 
tucked  under  one  of 
the  former  roundings 
itself.  Length,  9^ 
inches. 

Example  Cat,  No.  153(104,  iu  the  U.  S.  National 
Museum,  is  a  curved  knife  also  from  the  iMicmac  Indi- 
ans of  Nova  Scotia  (fig.  3),  collected  by  Dr.  (1.  M.West. 
The  blade  is  of  European  manufacture,  slightly  curved, 
let  into  a  groove  on  top  of  the  handle  and  neatly  seized 
with  a  thong  of  rawhide.  At  one  end  the  thong  is 
doubled  over  the  tang  and  driven  into  the  groove  of  the 
handle;  the  other  end  is  drawn  tlirough  a  hole  bored 
in  the  handle,  wedged  fast  and  <ju<-  oft',  making  a  very 
neat  finish.  The  handle  is  made  of  birch  wood  and 
curved  to  fit  the  hand,  the  bevel  for  the  thumb  being  unusually  long 
and  broad.    Length,  10^  inches. 


I'iK.  1. 

KARIKEU'S  KMKE. 

liiicU  ami  IVoiit  viewH. 
WasliiiiHtini, !),(;. 

t'al.  No.  n';4:i4,  I'.S.N.M. 


Fi;;.  2. 

MH'MA<;CU11VED  KNIFE 

t'al.  N.I.  16;iilu:l,  U.S.N.M. 


734 


REPORT  OF  NATIONAL  MUSEUM,  1«97. 


The  Miciiuuis  aro  especially  whittlers  in  bow  staves,  siiowahoes,  and 
canoe  Iraines.    Tlie  women  also  make  splint  baskets  in  wickerwork. 
Tiieir  household  utensils  were  in  wickerwork  and  birch 
bark,  so  they  did  little  adzing. 

Example  Cat.  No.  54338,  in  the  U.  S.  National  Mu- 
seum, is  a  curved  knife  from  the  Passamaquoddy 
Indians,  Eastport,  INIaine  (fig.  4),  collected  by  Mr.  K. 
Edward  Earll.  The  blade  is  in  form  of  a  farrier's  knife, 
let  into  a  stub  fjroove  on  the  back  of  the  handle,  and 
held  in  place  by  a  seizing  of  wood  splint.  The  handle 
is  straight  in  the  grip,  and  turned  up  and  beveled  at 
the  outer  end  to  receive  and  flt  the  thumb,  as  in  other 
curved  knives.  The  connective  of 
wood  splint  is  specially  noteworthy 
in  its  neat  administration  and  thor- 
oughly aboriginal  fastening  oft",  as 
in  the  two  previous  specimens  from 
the  ]Micmac  Indians.  Length,  lOi 
inches. 

Ml.  Lucien  Turner  says  of  the 
Nenenot  Indians  of  the  Algonqnan 
sto»;k,  living  on  the  borders  of 
the  Ungava,    in    northern    Labra- 


MICMAC  Cl'IlVED  KNIKB 

Cut.  No.  I.VlRdJ,  U.S.N. M. 


dor,  "that  they  make  tli-ir  crooked 
knives  of  steel  tiles  and  knife 
blades  (lig.  5).  Tlie  Indian  reduces 
the  metal  to  the  shape  desired, 
tlat  on  one  side  and  beveled  on  the 
other,  by  grinding.  lie  then  heats 
the  blade  and  gives  it  the  proi)er 
curve."  He  also  draws  attention  to 
the  fact  that  left-handed  persons 
suit  the  tool  to  their  hand  by  bend- 
ing the  blade  in  the  proper  direc- 
tion. "No  Labrador  Indian  ever  goes  on  a. journey 
without  a  curved  knife.  The  handle  is  hehl  at  right 
angles  to  the  body  and  drawn  toward  the  user.  It  is 
employed  in  all  cases  for  whittling  or  shaving  wood 
and  the  preparation  of  the  strips  and  slats  of 
canoes,  paddles,  snowshocs,  and  everything  cut  from 
wood.  It  re(fdires  great  skill  to  use  the  knife  prop- 
erly." 

Turner  says  that  "this  tool  is  in  universal  use  both 
among  the  Eskimo  and  the  Indians  of  this  region," 

Example  Cat.  No.  153498,  in  the  U.  S.  National  Museum,  is  a  curved 
knife  from  Labrador  (fig.  (»),  collected  by  Dr.  H.  G.  i3ryant.    The  blade 


FiR.  4. 

PABMAMAljUoDDY  KNIFR. 
<'«t.  No.  M3,W,  IJ.8.N.M, 


THE    MAN'S    KNIFE. 


735 


hoos,  and 
skerwork. 
and  bircli 

onal  Mn- 
laqiioddy 
y  Mr.  J{. 
5r's  knife, 
idle,  and 
le  handle 
liveled  at 
I  in  other 


t. 

DY  KNIPB. 

n.S.N.M. 

curved 
)  blade 


:«;*^., 


is  like  that  of  the  farrit'r's  knife.  The  shank  is  let  into  a  stub  j;roove 
on  the  side  of  the  handle;  a  thin  i)ortion  of  the  piece  of  wood  taken  out 
is  restored  and  a  seizing  of  tawed  buckskin  is  wrapped  around.  The 
handle  is  rectangular  and  terminated  with  a  curved  portion  to  Ht 
the  thumb.  The  noticeable  feature  of  this  knife  is 
that  the  shank  of  the  blade  is  let  into  the  handle  in 
such  way  that  when  cutting  is  being  done  the  strain 
conies  against  the  solid  wood  and  not  against  the 
buckskin  lashing,  as  in  a  great  many  examples  studied. 
Whittling  does  not  involve  hard  pressure,  so  there  is 
no  necessity  for  a  strong  joint,  as  in  the  knives  for 
carving  hard  substances. 

Example  Cat.  No.  ir»;}046,  in  the 
U.  S.  National  Museum,  is  a  curved 
knife  from  the  Nascopi  Indians  of 
Labrador  (fig.  7),  collected  by  Mr. 
Charles  McLaren.  The  blade  is 
inserted  into  a  stub  groove  in  the 
top  of  the  handle,  and  this  is  cov- 
ered by  a  strip  of  wood,  and  all 
lashed  together  with  a  rawhide 
band,  which  is  fastened  oft'  by  tuck- 
ing under  at  both  eiuls.  The  han 
die  is  of  spruce  wood,  and  the  grip 
is  straight,  but  the  thumb  imrtion 
is  bent  uii  and  inward  so  as  to  fit 
exactly  the  curvature  of  the  hand. 
A  loop  of  string  at  the  outer  end  of 
the  handle  completes  the  device. 
Especial  attention  is  called  to  the 
neat  fastening  of  the  rawhide  oou- 
nective.    Length,  !>  inches. 

In  the  annual  report  of  the  Hn 
reau  of  Ethnology,  Dr.  W.  J.  I  loft" 
man  figures  a  i;urved  knife  in  general  use  among 
the  Menoniini  Indians  in  Wisconsin.    These  Indi- 
ans are  of  the  Algoiuiuian  stock,  and  one  is  not 
sur]»iised,  therefore,  to  fin<l  a  curved  knife  of  the 
same  type  as  those  of  eastern  Canada  and  the 
United  States.    The  handle  has  a  long  slope  for  the 
thumb;  the  tang  of  the  blade  is  let  into  a  stub 
groove  on  the  side  of  the  handle  and  at  the  tip  end 
carried  quite  through.    The  connective  portion  of 
the  handle  is  also  cut  in  a  long  groove  to  secure  the  cord  used  in  lash- 
ing.   The  author  says  that  "among  the  Menominis  this  knife  is  used 
in  preparing  the  splints  from  elm  logs,  out  of  which  baskets  are  made." 


Fig.  5. 

Cl'KVEl)    KNMKE    KHDM 

I'.N'dAVA. 

Cat.  No.  liilii:,  I'.S.N.M. 


Fig.  8. 

ClTBVKIlKNIKI';  FllOM  MON- 
TAdNAIS  rNIIIANS. 

Lalinulur. 

t'nl.  No.  iswas,  r.S.N.M. 


Mi 


736 


REPORT   OF   NATIONAL   MUSEUM,  1897. 


I, 


'    , 


m 


The  cutting  is  always  done  toward  the  body.    In  the  <!a8e  of  these 

knives  it  will  be  seen  that  the  function  of  splitting,  planing,  and  smooth 
iiig  is  performed  rather  than  that  of  excavating  and 
tinisliing  ott'  large  blocks  of  soft  wood. 

The  material  eniployed  by  the  Mcnominis  in  their 
basketry  is  tough,  and  therefore  only  soft  saplings  are 
used  in  their  work. ' 

Ilolm  figures  a  large  number  of  men's  carving  knives.^ 
Seven  of  his  iigures  give  bone  or  antler  handles,  four 
have  plain  wooden  han«lles,  and  in  two  of  them  bone 
and  wood  are  mixed.  Seven  of  these  have  blades  of 
stone  and  seven  have  iron  blades.  The  preciousness  of 
iron  is  shown  in  blades  made  up  of  two  or  three  pieces 
or  strips  of  iron  riveted  together.  The  blades  are  all 
inserted  into  the  ends  of  the  handles,  most  of  them  by 
driving  Two  show  evidences  of  sawcuts  at  the  ends 
and  three  have  wrappings  or  bands  of  twine.  The  only 
ornamentation  on  these  handles  are  rings  and  geomet- 
ric figures  made  of  dots.  Four  of  the  bone  handles 
are  shai)ed  somewhat  into 
characteristic  forms. 

Parry  says  that  "  the 
principal  tool  of  the  Es- 
kimo of  iglulik  was  the 
knife  (panna);  t)»at  they 
possessed  a  great  number 
of  excellent  ones  pre- 
viously to  his  coming,  and 
that  the  work  was  remark- 
ably coarse  and  clumsy. 
The  manner  of  holding  the 

the  knife  also  was  most 

awkward;    that  is,  with 

the  edge  backward." ' 
Example  Cat.  No.  1100, 

in  the  U.  S.  National  Mu- 
seum, is  a  curved  knife 

from  Anderson  lliver,  in 

the  Mackenzie  lliver  dis 

trict  (tig.  8),  colle(;ted  by 

Mr.    K.    M.    Macfarlane. 

Theblade  is  much  curved, 

let  into  a  stub  groove  on 

the  top  of  the  handle,  and 


^1= 


Fig.  7. 

CUKVKD  KNIKK  KRO.M 

NASCOPI   INDIANS. 
Cat.  N.I.  \y.M«,  I'.s.N.M. 


Fig.  8. 

ESKIMO  KNIPK. 

Mackenzie  Kivor. 

C«t.  No.  ll«u,  U.S.N. M. 


'Fourteenth  Annual  Report  of  thi'  IJunau  of  Etuuology,  p.  260;  also  Harper's 
Mayaziue,  March,  1896,  p.  505. 
'Holm,  Kthnolojfisk  8kiz/c,  Coponhagon,  1887,  plato  18, 
■'Parry's  Second  Voyage,  Loudon,  1821,  p.  536. 


THK    MAN  S    KNIFE. 


737 


held  by  si  seizing  of  fine  rawliide  thoug.  One  end  of  the  thong  is 
driven  into  the  groove  end  of  the  handle,  u  favorite  method  of  fasten 
ing  off  among  the  Eskimo.  The  other  end  is  fastened  off  by  simply 
drawing  it  through  a  dozen  turns  of  the  seizing.  There  are  no  knots 
tied.  The  handle  is  of  fine  spruce  wood  in  tiie  shape  of  a  knee,  and 
chamfered  on  tlie  back  to  tit  the  thumb.  This  is  an  unusual  shape 
among  handles.     Length  of  blade,  T)  inches. 


I  I! 


Via.  !>. 
T\V(1-1IAN1)E1)  CIllVKl)   KNrKK,    SI[o\VlN(i   STIMCITWE   A.VI)   METHOD  (IK   ISINO. 

Yakutat,  Alaska. 

Cat.  N...  l-sl!li.,  I'.S.N.M. 


Murdoch  declares  that  the  Point  Harrow  Eskimo  have  two  styles  or 
sizes  of  carver's  knives,  one  large  Midlin,  with  a  haft  10  to  I'O  inches 
long,  for  wood  working,  and  a  small  one,  Savigron  (instrument  for 
shaving),  with  a  haft  (5  to  7  inches  long,  for  working  bone  and  ivory. 
Tlie  knife  is  held  close  to  the  blade  between  the  index  and  secoml 
lingers  of  the  right  hand,  with  the  thumb  over  the  edge,  which  is 
toward  the  workman.  Murdoch  speaks  in  great  praise  of  the  skill  of 
tlie  carver.' 


'  Ninth  Anniiiil  l{ei»(ut  of  tlio  nurcau  of  Etliiiolopy,  i>.  157,  fl>r.  113. 
NAT  MUS  97 47 


\\ 


73« 


RKPORT   OF    NATIONAL    MUSEUM,  1897. 


It  is  easy  to  iiiidorstaiMl  the  existence  of  the  two  types  in  the  arctic 
area,  where  soft  driftwood  exists  idoiifjside  of  antler  and  ivory. 

Exanii)lo  Cat.  No.  20.S;n.  in  the  U.  S.  National  Museum,  is  a 
curved  knife  from  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  Alaska,  eoUected  by 
Mr.  James  (1.  Swan.  The  curved  blade  is  of  iron,  with  both  edges 
alike,  and  resembles  the  modern  ean-opener.  To  form  the  Joint  its 
tang  is  rouf^hly  let  into  the  wooden  hiindle  at  its  end  on  one  side,  the 
other  side  bein«-  notched,  and  is  held  in  place  by  a  lashing  of  thong. 
The  handle  of  oak  is  curved  upward  outside  the  thumb  space  and 


FiKs.  It),  II. 

('AliVEIl'S   KN'IIK.    ANI>  OU.\HI>   Kl  m   IIAIK   dV   IIAXK. 

Sitka,  Alaska. 

Ciit.  N.«.  KISU'.',  ItiWU,'.,  r..S.N..M. 


[t; 


'M 


ta])ers  slightly  to  the  outer  end.  The  noteworthy  features  are  the 
adaptjition  of  a  modern  can  opener  for  the  blade,  the  resemblance  of 
the  handle  with  its  thumb  space  to  Jajjanese  and  Korean  handles,  and 
the  notch  at  the  inner  end  to  prevent  the  slipping  of  the  seizing. 
Mr.  D,  W.  Prentiss,  jr.,  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum,  had  the  good 
fortune  to  observe  a  Yakutat  Indian  carving  with  a  large  specimen 
of  this  variety  of  two-edged  blade  (Cat.  No.  178196,  U.S.N.M.).  The 
handle  is  held  in  both  hands  while  the  carver  dresses  down  the  inside 
of  his  canoe  or  wooden  box.  Now  tihipping  toward  himself,  now  fiway, 
with  the  greatest  rapidity,  he  gave  the  line  adz  finish  often  observed 


THE    MANS    KNIFE. 


73!) 


n 


1 1 


on  many  objecsts  broujjht  fnun  the  ct'dar  arena  of  southeast  Ahiska. 
In  this  its  perfected  form  the  knife  is  botli  chisel  and  adz,  working 
always  by  pressure  (tig.  9). 

Example  Cat.  No.  IGH-Uli,  in  the  I'.  8.  Natioiuil  .Museum, is  a  cnrved 
knife  from  the  Tlin}j;it  Indians  of  Ahiska  (tig.  1(»),  collected  by  Lieut. 
G.  T.  Enniious,  C.  S.  N.  It  consists  ol  a  blade  of  a 
common  pocketknife  driven  into  the  end  of  a  handle  of 
antler  and  held  in  place  by  an  iron  ferrule  and  by  a 
seizing  <»f  rawhide  thong,  ^"'he  handle  has  rings 
scratched  around  it  an  inch  apart.  The  example  has 
this  peculiarity,  that  the  bevel  of  the  bhule  is  un<ler- 
neatb,  for  the  workman  to  cut  toward  him,  and  must 
have  been  designed,  therefore,  to  be  used  after  the 
modern  fashion  of  a  trimming  chisel.  Length,  7:^ 
inches.  With  this  knife  belongs  example  Cat.  No. 
108345,  U.S.'N.M.,  a  guard  of  sealskin  to  be  worn  on 
the  back  of  the  hand  (tig.  11),  so  that  when  the  work- 
man is  whittling  in  a  box  or  canoe  he  may  protect  him- 
self. The  entire  outfit  is  <iuite 
modern,  but  it  is  remarkable  that 
this  guard  is  the  only  example  of 
its  kind  in  the  collection. 

Example  Cat.  No.  20752,  in  the 
17.  S.  National  Museum,  is  a 
curved  knife  from  Sitka,  Alaska 
(tig.  Hi),  collected  by  Mr.  James 
(i.  Swan.  It  is  evidently  made 
lip  for  trade,  and  shows  no  sign 
of  use,  but  it  has  the  long  han- 
dle of  the  Yakutat  two-handed 
type.  The  blade,  with  two  edges, 
is  lashed  by  its  tang  to  the  side 
of  a  pine  handle  by  means  of  a 
buckskin  thong,  which  last  is  the 
only  aboriginal  part  of  the  ap- 
paratus, and  is  laid  on  in  a  slov- 
enly manner,  and  any  savage  would  be  ashamed 
to  use  it  on  his  own  account. 

Since  ethnographic  material  has  entered  into 
commerce  the  Museum  curator  is  vexed  continu- 
ally by  receiving  specimens  that  never  had  any 
serious  aboriginal  use.  Furthermore,  trade  centers,  such  as  I'na- 
laska,  Sitka,  Victoria,  and  Honolulu,  where  in  the  old  days  whalers 
met  and  exchanged  or  pawned  their  collections  from  different  places, 
specimens  were  carried  far  from  their  original  source,  and  now  can  be 
identified  only  by  comparing  them  with  well-authenticated  objects. 


Fig.  12. 

AUVKH's  K.NIFK,  FOK 
TWO   IIAMIS. 

Sitkn,  AliiHka. 

I':it.  No. '.1I7.V.',  r.S.N.M. 


!•"!««.  y.i.  14. 

lAUVEIl  S  KNIVES. 

Itritisli  Columbia. 

Cat.  .\os.  li'JS76,  l'.".W7«,  T  S.N.M. 


740 


KEPORT    OP   NATIONAL    MUSKUM,   1897. 


I  ' 


Exainplu  Oat.  No.  121>97(>.  in  the  II.  S.  Niitioiuil  Museiun,  is  si  wood 
carvtM's  knife  tVoin  tin;  Kwukintl  Indians  of  Fort  Rupert,  l>riti.sh 
Coliiinl)ia  (fig.  V\),  collected  by  Mr.  .lames  (t.  Swan,  and  forms  a  tran- 
sition between  old  iirt  and  European  art.  Tlie  blade 
is  that  of  a  modern  jackknifc  set  into  tlie  end  of  an 
oak  handle  and  hehl  lirm  by  a  ferrule  of  sheet  brass 
nailed  on.  Ilere  are  united  in  a  single  joint  the  most 
primitive  and  most  persistent  <!onneetive,  namely,  a 
tiing  driven  into  the  grain  of  the  handle  at  the  work- 
ing end  and  metal  ferrule,  the  latest  form  of  bond. 
The  handle  is  slightly  curved,  and  bears  on  its  end 
and  surface  a  carving  (»f  a  totemic  aninnil's  head  and 
fins.     Ijength,  SS  inches. 

Kxample   Cat.   No.  12J>97.S,  in    the  V.  S.  National 
Museum,  is  a  similar  knife,  with  .jacUknifc  blade  iu  a 
very  plain  handle  without  carving  (lig.  14).    To  form 
the  joint  the  inner  end  of  the 
handle   has  a  saw  cut    made 
across,  into  which  the  tang  of 
the  blade  is  set  and  made  fast 
by  a  wire  driven  tlirough  the 
hinge  hole.    Stovepipe  wire  is 
wrapped  about  the  joint,  and 
a  wedge  of  wood  and  one  of 
iron    driven    in    between    the 
edges  of  the  tang  and  the  wire. 
Outside  the  wire  is  a  wrapping 
of  cotton   rag  to  protect  the 
hand.     This    example   shows 
that  there  is  plasticity  even  in 
thesavagemiiul.  The  elements 
of   this   old   form  have  been 
nearly  all  patented  inventions. 
Example  Cat.  No.  1LM»1>77,  in  the  U.  S.  Na- 
tional Museum,  is  a  curved  knife  of  the  Fort 
Knpert  or  KwakiutI  Indians  (tig.  15),  collected 
by  Mr.  .lames  G.  Smmu.     It  consists  of  a  bhule 
bent  up  at  the  top,  beveled  only  on  the  upper 
side,  and  by  its  shank  la8he<l  to  a  shouldered 
cut  on  the  handle.    The  handle  is  of  oak  and  is 
also  curved.    The  two  parts  are  held  together 
by  a  seizing  of  twine,  and  outside  of  this  a  wrap- 
ping of  blue  cloth.    Length  of  hfindle,  8  inches. 

Example  Cat.  No.  15071.'),  in  the  U.  S.  National  Museum,i8  a  curved 
knife  of  the  Ainos  of  Yezo  (lig.  10),  (follected  by  Mr.  K.  Hitchcock.  The 
tang  of  the  blade  of  iron  is  driven  into  a  wooden  handle,  which  is 


Fij;.  15. 

CUKVKl)    KNIKK. 

Fort  Kii)i(>rt  liuiiiiii.s 

Cnl.  No.  laicn?,  II.S.N.M, 


Fig.  16. 

CAKVEUS  KNIVUS. 

From  tlie  Ainos. 

Cat.  No.  1511716,  U.S.N. M. 


TIIK    MANS    KNll'K. 


741 


tr+4 


V\ii.  17. 

orRVK.n  KNIVES. 

Aniiini'  ii'dioii. 

AfliT  v.iiMhri-iiik. 


742 


RKI'ORT    OF    NATIONAL    MUSKIIM,   1«97. 


slijfhtly  riirvcsd  iiml  has  acliiunfcr  for  the  tlmiiih.  Thero  is  no  attempt 
at  ccMiieiiting  or  neiziii}?  or  ratcheting;  on  tlie  tan^.  Tlie  bond  is  in 
etlect  a  very  ancient  eonneetive  done  in  iron.     Length,  7A  indies. 

Example  Cat.  No.  l.'»07ir>  (a),  in  the  IT.  S.  National  Mnsfuni,  is 
siniiUir  to  tiie  foregoing  excepting  tliat  tlie  bhide  is  straight  and  there 
is  a  slight  carving  at  tlie  outer  end  of  tlie  handle.  The  handle  in  both 
of  these  specimens  seems  to  be  left  hand,  inasninch  as  the  bevel  and 
curve  of  the  blade  and  the  <'hainfer  lit  the  left  hand  and  do  not  lit  the 
right.  The  great  number  of  whittling  knivesof  this  species  in  eastern 
Asianiises  some  interesting  questions  of  the  method  of  intrusion  of  the 
Iron  Age  into  the  aboriginal  life  of  the  Western  World. 

In  the  area  between  Meriiig  Strait  and  the  Aleutian  Islands,  under 
th»^  inlluence  of  liussian  traders  and  the  whaling  industry,  great  iinni- 
bers  of  carver's  knives  in  endless  variety  are  fouud.  The  largest  col- 
le<;tion  from  this  region  has  been  nmde  by  Mr.  K.  W.  Nelson,  and  the 
forms  of  whittling  knives,  carving  knives,  and  etching  knives  will  be 
found  fully  illustrated  in  Mr.  Nelson's  work. 

A  large  and  interesting  series  of  curved  knives  were  collected  by 
von  Schrenck  about  the  mouth  of  the  Amoor  Itiver  and  northward,  and 
are  now  in  the  imperial  Museum  at  Mos(;ow.  These  knives  represent 
all  of  the  ditferent  classes  spoken  of  in  this  ])aper,  to  wit:  Knives  with 
straight  blades,  for  ordinary  domestic  jiurposes;  those  with  long  curve, 
for  ordinary  whittling;  those  with  abrupt  curve  at  the  end,  as  in  the 
farrier's  knife,  for  excavating  c.auoes  and  boxes;  and  those  with  sharp 
points,  for  engraving  on  hard  substances.  The  handles  are  either  plain 
or  ornamented  and  have  a  short  or  a  long  bevel  for  the  thumb.  Tiiose 
which  have  a  decided  sidewise  curve  are  always  lifted  to  the  right  hand 
and  cut  toward  the  person  (fig.  17). 

CONCLUSION. 

I  find  that  in  the  employment  of  the  curved  knife  the  liSkimo,  the 
(Janadiau  tribes,  together  with  their  kindred  on  the  northern  boundary 
of  the  United  States,  and,  more  than  all,  the  North  Pacific  tribes  on 
both  sides  of  the  ocean  have  exhausted  the  possibilities  of  an  imple- 
ment that  has  been  in  the  hands  of  some  only  a  century  or  two. 

The  arts  of  all  these  tribes  were  bettered  and  not  degraded  by  the 
curved  knife.  In  every  case  they  were  inunensely  improved.  The  form 
of  knife  with  straight,  short  blade  made  it  possible  for  the  northern 
and  western  tribes  to  become  better  carvers  and  engravers.  JJefore 
the  i)ossession  of  iron  there  is  meager  evidence  that  either  of  these 
areas  possessiMl  other  than  the  most  trivial  carvings  in  hard  material. 
Their  best  results  were  in  soft  wood  and  slate,  by  means  of  beaver 
tooth  or  shark's  tooth  knives. 

The  curved  knife  serves  to  confirm  the  opinion  that  as  soon  as  any 
process  or  device  came  within  the  scope  of  a  people's  intelligence  they 
have  mastered  it  and  brought  it  to  a  climax,  iirom  which  time  on  new 
ideas  and  new  inventions  replaced  the  old. 


1 

r 
III 


TIIK    MANS    KNM'K. 
Lint  of  maii'i  kuivfg  ill  llir  I',  S,  \alioiial  Muarum, 


74;i 


Cat.  No. 

Oiirvrd  kiiivoa.                             Luonlity. 

j                                                 1 

Collector's  name. 

481 

Iron  kiiitV  (Miiiiill) 

8:u 

ForKl.Hid  lloi>e.  N   \V  Ter 

K.  ICellllii'Ott. 

!      ritory. 

1100 

,,,,, do     .     •                   ili»..,. 

K.  .Marl'arlaiiA 

VAOn  9 

KHkiiiio  kill  MX \iid«<rHoii  Itivt>r <lii 

C.  1*.  1  laiidet. 

i63r. 

Kxkiino  kiiilo 

do do 

li.  Macfarlaiie. 

i«H;t 

do 

.Maekoii/.ie  Uiver   do 

Do. 

I04t! 

Miin'H  knife 

AnderMoii  Uiver do 

Do. 

IMO 

do 

....  do do.... 

1)0. 

i«7r( 

Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
K.  Kennicott. 

2()94 

il.i                                     ilo 

2101  4 

Kskiino  curvi'd  knivrH .In       ilo 

2274-75 

Long-liiindUMi  curvi'd  knivl^s 

do do.... 

2270-77 

do do do 

U.  .Macfarlaiie. 

2278- sm 

Short  curved  kiiivr8 do do 

Do. 

2297 

(.'nrvor'M  knil'c ilo do 

Do. 
Do. 

2:<04 

do 

do ilo 

230M 

do 

do do.... 

Do. 

5121 

EHklino  knife 

.Mackenzie  Kiver do. . . . 

Do. 

.■^813 

Small  knife 

Aiidersiin  Kiver do 

Do. 

7405-10 

KHkimo  kuiven 

Mackeu/.io  Uiver do 

Do. 

7455-61 

Do. 
C  !•".  Hall. 

10104 

^ad'h  knifo 

IglooUk,  Itallln  Land 

(Jape  Ktidin,    Niinivak  In- 

10140 

Carvur'8  tool  (graver) 

W.  11.  Dall. 

land,  Alaska. 

16163 

Carver's  knife 

do 

Do. 

16172 

do 

do 

Do. 

18920 

Iron  kuife,  bono  Imudlu 

Clalh  II   Indiaii.s,  WasbiiiK- 
ton. 

J.  (}.  Swan. 

20458 

Bone  kiiil'e 

Sa  ita  IJarbara,  (*aliloriiia. .  ■ 

Paul  Schumacher. 
.1.  (i.  Swan. 

20752-53 

Curved  kiiircH 

Tlingit,  Sitka, -VhiHka 

208,11 

Iron  curved  knifeaixl  Hbeatli 

liaiineiiab,  Charlotte  I.slaiid . 

Do. 

2U846 

do     

Kootznoo  Indians,  .Muska  .. 
Norton  Sound,  Alaska 

Do. 
L.  M.  'i'lirncr. 

24411 

Rone   or    ivory  knife,  iron 

blade. 

30107 

Siniill  table  knife 

Ciiniberliind    Ciiilf.     lialliii 

\V.  A.Mint/.ri.  U..S.  N'. 

Land. 

32145-46 

Koiio  kiiivAH 

Point  Tiiwii.seiiil,  Wiisliiiiji- 
toii. 

J.tl.  Swan. 

32874-84 

Man'H  knives.  Iione  or  wimhI 
handle. 

St.  Michaels,  Alaska 

Vi.  \\'.  Ncl.soii. 

33027-28 

Nulato — do 

Nulatoln^'alik do 

Do. 
Do. 

33030 

Knift^  for  carving  ivory 

33304 

do 

St.  Michaels do 

Do. 

33314 

Handle    of    wood-workint; 
knif.\ 

I'astolik do 

Do. 

36315 

Knife,    ivory   handle,   iron 
blade. 

Sfujfuuiigumut do 

Do. 

36316 

do 

Kongigunogumut do 

Koolwoguwigumut. .  do — 

Do. 

36507 

Knife,  bone  handle,  metal 

Do. 

blade. 

3732ft-28 

Knife  bandlea 

Kushunuk do 

Do. 

37420-25 

Ivorv  carved  knife 

Anogogumut do — 

Ukognmut do — 

Newlukbtiilugumut.  .do — 

Do. 

87440 

Do. 

aaiu 

Carved  knife 

Do. 

744 


REPORT   OF   NATIONAL    MUSEUM,   1«97. 
List  of  man's  knires  in  the  I'.  S.  Nationrt  Mmcum. 


Ciil.No. 


384Rfi 
;)H487        j 
4:1407        I 
4U87:i        I 
447,17 
4")48K 
480K(I-S1 

4fi;io;) 

480Kr) 
4H087 
48291 

48536        i 
48^40-47  1 


Curved  kuivca. 

I,<Miilily. 

Lower  Yukon,  Alaskii 

do do.... 

CoHector's 

laiiie. 

*er 's  knil't! 

(1„       

!•;.  \V.  Nel.son. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 

do 

do 

('iipe  Prince  of  Wales. do 

I'nalaUiitet do 

aiiillo  for  workiiiir  knit'o        Sled;;e  I.slaiid. 


rved  knife 

life  for  eurvinj; . 


,S|.  Micliael.x.. 
I'orl,  CI 


knife 


do 


48010 


Woodworkinj;  knile |  (-'ape  Di 

Ivory  and  hone  worker do 

Wood  curved  kiiili'   Nnidvi 

do Kof/.el) 

Knives  for  siilittiiiK   liireli      Missid 

leirk.  ! 

Kinser^IiiardaLjiiinsI  enrved    Sabotn 


knife 


54;!;!8 

C'ur\ 

.iS'.ia:! 

Carv 

,'l,-)!)42  4:1 

Woo 

50546 

Man 

56552-54 

Ciirv 

00188-92 

Curv 

wo 

63274-75 

Kniv 

0;i316-22 

63541-42 

Iron 

I.U 

64154  55 

Curv 

67078 

Onr\ 

ifii. 

70702 

(/'nr\ 

80271-8.1 

Kniv 

892i);i-au4 

Kni\ 

8'.»38:i-S4 

Ki;i\ 

80579 

Slate 

89582 

Slale 

89580 

Slate 

8U5H7-95 

lioni' 

8!t59- 

Sin;;! 

8!lfi;)3-41 

Kiiiv 

89044 

Croo 

80052 

Snial 

80053 

Carv 

80821 

Knifi 

8!l9(i4  (iO 

Kniv 

9(r210  11 

d 

9(l4,-.8 

Knifi 

126629 

I  roil 

127401 

Cnrv 

127507 

Knil'i 

127049 

•  Jiirv 

127788 

Oa-.-. 

127809 

Curv 

127895 

Kniv 

cd  knife I  Ka.st)io 

er's  tool  (graver) •  liristfd 

dworkiiiji  knives 1 do  . 


s  knife,  iron  Idade. 
fd  knife 


ved    knives,  Hioiie   anil 
lod  handle. 
esforearvin":ivorv,  cli^ 


knife  hiiidrs.  eurvud. 


jlinished 

ved  knives,  leather  sheath 
led  knifel'or  wood  larv 


knife 


es,  iron  blades. 
IS  lor  earviii^  . 


I'oint  1 
...do 


Koot/a 


St.  Law 


Hot  liar 
Tlinyil 


Fori  A 
I'liiiit  I 


.uo. ... 

.do.... 

)arhy  

.do... 
.do....i 

ik  Island 

.do.... 

me  Sound 

.do.... 

n,  Lower 

V'lik 

in. do.. 

isky 

.do.... 

1 

irt,  Mi'ine 

Hay,  Alaska 

1 

.do  ... 

{arrow  . . 

.do....' 
■  do....' 

niboo 

d...... 

vronee  I  si 

and. 

..lo.... 
do. 

.do.... 

II  tnlut  . . 

.do   ... 

,  Sitka  .. 

do... 

1 

lexan'ler. 

Ala^ 

ka.... 

iarrow . . . 

.do.... 

lo 
(^s.  iron  lilailes | do do 


knife,  lione  handle ' do dci 


'  knife,  wooden  handle 


do.. 


knife,  lioiii'  ha  mile | do  . 

handle  knives | do  . 

le-edyecl  sliile  knife | do  . 


.do., 
.do.. 


...di 


es.  Hint  lihidc . 
ked  knife 


knife 


.do  . 
.do . 
.do . 


do. 


er's  knife  (graver)   i do do 


',  iron  blade 

es  ffir  earvint' 


(hi 


Labrador 


I',  wood  carving.. 

kiiifo  blade 

ed  knife 

i>  (el  enrvo) 

cd  knife 

CK  tool 

i!d  knife    


Tiifiava  Hay,  Labrador 
I'gashik,  Alaska 


Xoualan,  Mexieo 

liinswek  River,  AlaHku 

Chile 

Ft.  .Mexander,  Alaska  . 


Nakneek 


...do 


Kanebiini); do 

I'ntnani  liiver,  Alaskii  . 


Do. 

R.  E.  Earll. 
Clias.  L,  McKay. 

Do. 
Lieut.  I*.  II.  Kay. 

Do. 
J.  J.  McLean. 

Iv  W.  N.l.son. 
Do. 
Do. 

Do 
.I.J.  McLean." 

J.  11.  dolinson. 
Lioul.  I'.  II.  Kay. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
.1  Do, 

.   ilolin  Hurdoi'b. 
.    Liout.  IMI,  Ka.v. 
.'         Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 
.    L.  M.  Turner. 

Do. 
.    Williani  .1.  Fisher. 
.    Dr.  U.  I'almer, 
.  1  I.  Apide^ate. 
.|  W.E.  Curtis. 

.  i  dolinson. 

.    Williani. I.  Fisher. 

Do. 
.    I.ieut,Oeo.M,Stoney,  t;,S,K. 


THE    man's    knife. 


745 


LM  ofman'x  knices  in  the  U.  S.  National  Muxeum. 


Cat.  No. 

129976-78 

130470 

131220 

150715 

15:i046 

1 53498 

153603-4 

166956 

168342 

176434 


Curved  knives. 


Locality. 


Collector  H  imnie. 


Ciirved  knife 


do 

Knite.  glass  bliidii 

CurvtMl  knife,  loft  hiimled(?) 

Cur-  'dknifo 

j  Cm. ul  knife,  vino  liiiH'll" 

'  Curved  knife 

\  Knile  IVir  earvinii 

Carvin),'  knilV 


Kwakiutl.     Fort     Uuperl,  j  J.G.Swan. 

laska.  1 

•iodtl.aab,  Greenland 1  Theo.Holm. 

Uorja  nay,  l'ata^"."i" '  Thonms  Lee. 

Aino,  Y('7.o.Jiii)an 


li,  llitclioocU. 


Labrador ,  Dr.  W.J.  H<'""'"" 


Naakopies, 
Monta«iiais,  Labrador  . 
Mieniars,  Nova  Scotia  . 
Yukon  Kiver,  Abi.ska.. 
Tliut|;it.  Sitka,  Alaska 


,,      .     '   i...ir..                       .'  Wanliington  City. 
Fftrnernkniie ,  = 


H  (i,  llryant. 
(i.raldM.WeHl 
,T.  II.  Turner. 

Licutcnanl  Kmnions. 

M.  K.  llorrijjan. 


oney,  U.S.N. 


